Cyclone Amphan: IMD issues orange message for West Bengal, North Odisha coasts

New Delhi, May 19: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued a fresh cyclone alert for West Bengal and north Odisha coasts as an extremely severe cyclonic storm 'Amphan' over Westcentral Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 15 kmph during past six hours.

In a statement, the IMD said the super cyclonic storm Amphan (pronounced as UM-PUN) over Westcentral Bay of Bengal moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 15 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centred at 0830 hrs IST of 19th May, 2020 near latitude 16.0°N and longitude 86.8°E over Westcentral Bay of Bengal about 480 km nearly south of Paradip (Odisha), 630 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) and 750 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh).

''It is very likely to move north-northeastwards across northwest Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal - Bangladesh coasts between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) close to Sundarbans during the Afternoon / Evening of 20th May 2020 with maximum sustained wind speed of 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph, the IMD said.

The Super Cyclone 'AMPHAN' is now being continuously tracked by the Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) at Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), it added.

In view the conditions, the IMD has advised a complete shutdown of shipping and boating activities in the vulnerable parts of West Bengal and Odisha till May 20. Rerouting or shutting down of rail and road traffic is also advised in the areas which the super cyclone is expected to hit.

The weather agency has issued an orange alert for coastal West Bengal and Odisha, where it said widespread damage is expected.